Crisis Communication

There are times when the college needs to let you know something immediately, whether it is a change in schedule due to snow, to take cover because of a tornado warning, or an alert to some other threat or hazard. Our first concern is the safety of our students, employees and guests and we will use every means at our disposal to communicate with the college community.

To insure that we are able to get messages to you, students and employees should make sure their records are kept current by reporting any contact information changes to Admissions and Records or the Human Resources Department as soon as they are made. Students and employees can also assist in the process by regularly checking their college e-mail accounts and adding telephone numbers to those used by the WayneCC Alert system.

Hazards and Threats

When the college receives notification of an weather advisory or watch or situations such as road construction or traffic accidents that might impact its students or employees, it will pass that information on using e-mail so they can be aware and make appropriate decisions.

In the event that there is an immediate threat of severe weather, earthquake, or other hazards or threats, the campus will be alerted by way of the public address system, the Office of Campus Police, and/or the WayneCC Alert system. In case of a fire, the fire alarm will be triggered.

Everyone on campus should take the appropriate action for the identified threat. Those responses are listed on the red and white quick reference cards mounted on walls throughout the campus, in the Student Handbook, and on this website.

Inclement Weather

When weather conditions require that the college be closed or its opening delayed, the decision will be announced using the WayneCC Alert system, college e-mail, college website and social media pages, area radio and television stations. The absence of an announcement means that the college is operating on a normal schedule. More information about inclement weather delays and closings can be found here.

Timely Warnings

In the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that, in the judgment of the Chief of Campus Police, constitutes and ongoing or continuing threat, a campus-wide “timely warning” will be issued. The warning will be issued through WayneCC Alert texts, phone calls, and e-mails, and social media to students, faculty, and staff, and via public address messages.

Depending on the particular circumstances of a crime a other situation that could pose an immediate threat to the college community and individuals, the Office of Campus Police may also post a notice on the campus-wide MagicNet monitors as well as the college website in order to provide the college community with more immediate notification.

Anyone with information warranting a timely warning should contact Campus Police by phone (919-739-7002 or 7002 on a college phone) or in person at the office in Room 195 of the Wayne Learning Center.

Beyond the Campus

There are many automatic and downloadable alerting systems. Federal, state, and local authorities use the Emergency Alert System to deliver notifications such as AMBER Alerts and weather information across many media. WCC encourages you to sign up for other systems to ensure that you are alerted to threatening situations and have time to react. Some of those systems include

Weather Alert Apps from almost every television channel’s weather desk and the Weather Channel, Weather Underground, and other organizations

The American Red Cross offers a number of apps that provide directions for everything from first aid to responding to natural disasters. It also runs the Safe and Well website that provides a central location for people in disaster areas in the United States to register their current status, and for their loved ones to access that information.